# Bacon leads charge on Ukraine aid bill with rare discharge petition  
**Published:** 2026-05-25T10:00:33.000Z  
**Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/25/nebraskas-bacon-helping-get-ukraine-support-act-to-full-house-vote-by-early-june/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/bacon-leads-charge-on-ukraine-aid-bill-with-rare-discharge-petition

LINCOLN, Neb. — As congressional support for Ukraine has stalled, retiring U.S. Rep. Don Bacon is forcing the issue with an unusual procedural maneuver that puts him at odds with his own party's leadership.

Bacon, a Republican representing Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, is one of just two GOP lawmakers who signed a [discharge petition for the "Ukraine Support Act"](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/25/nebraskas-bacon-helping-get-ukraine-support-act-to-full-house-vote-by-early-june/) — a measure that would provide $1.3 billion in additional aid to Ukraine and impose new sanctions on Russia. [The bill](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2913/text) also reaffirms U.S. commitment to NATO and includes reconstruction funding.

Discharge petitions are rare legislative tools that allow members to force a floor vote on legislation that leadership refuses to schedule. [The petition reached the required 218 signatures on May 13](https://democrats-foreignaffairs.house.gov/2026/5/meeks-hoyer-fitzpatrick-kaptur-bacon-keating-kiley-statement-on-securing-final-signature-to-force-a-vote-on-the-ukraine-support-act), with California independent Kevin Kiley providing the final vote. This represents a significant procedural victory for a measure that had been blocked from consideration.

"I think it's way overdue," Bacon said Monday, explaining that congressional support for the Ukraine measure had stalled for months. Bacon, who is not seeking reelection, joined all 215 Democratic members and fellow moderate Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania in signing the petition.

Bacon says he and Fitzpatrick lobbied other Republican colleagues for additional signatures, but encountered resistance from House Speaker Mike Johnson and ambiguity from President Donald Trump. Bacon estimates about 10 to 20 Republicans are "very opposed" to the measure, though he believes most House Republicans share his view on Ukraine support.

"It's going to take someone like me to force a bill on the floor so the speaker doesn't even have his hands on it," Bacon said, explaining the political calculus behind using the discharge petition.

Beyond the political dynamics, Bacon emphasizes practical national security reasons for the aid. He warns that if Ukraine falls to Russian invasion, Moldova will be next, and such a defeat would weaken U.S. defense posture and ultimately cost more in the long run. Much of the funding would support American weapons development and defense industries, with older weapons available for Ukraine.

The legislation also addresses what Bacon sees as a moral imperative. "To me, it's simple," Bacon said, criticizing Trump's handling of comparisons between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Zelenskyy is the elected leader. Putin's a terrible man. He's a murderer."

A self-described Reagan Republican, Bacon expressed frustration that Trump lacks what he called "moral clarity" on the conflict, saying the former president would support Ukraine aid. The vote is expected in early June.

## Sources

- [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/25/nebraskas-bacon-helping-get-ukraine-support-act-to-full-house-vote-by-early-june/)
- [Congress.gov - H.R. 2913: Ukraine Support Act](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2913/text)
- [House Foreign Affairs Committee - Statement on securing final signature for Ukraine Support Act](https://democrats-foreignaffairs.house.gov/2026/5/meeks-hoyer-fitzpatrick-kaptur-bacon-keating-kiley-statement-on-securing-final-signature-to-force-a-vote-on-the-ukraine-support-act)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Nebraska Examiner, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/25/nebraskas-bacon-helping-get-ukraine-support-act-to-full-house-vote-by-early-june/.